A Taste of Romance

I enjoyed this movie, though it was expectedly predictable, it was still good, and I loved the restaurant atmosphere. Worth the watch!

LOUD music. this TV movie's scenario premise is just too absurd. the guy, a widower with a teenage daughter, leased a space for his junk pizza business, from day 1 when he started the remodeling of his joint, he brought in radio and turned its volume to the extreme, bombarded the neighboring french restaurant. well, here's the first stupid arrangement to have a red-neck pizza joint next to a classy french restaurant. may i ask, what kind business neighborhood is this? how come a guy could be such an arse as a retired fireman when his neighbor complaining the loud and very disturbing music, his answer and response to such complaints would be, so what? this is a free country, i have the right to turn my music volume as loud as i like. no wonder this rude and arrogant bastard's wife would die so early. the causes of her death were obvious: his arrogance and his deafening loud music. the daughter role is very likable and, the french chef, a beautiful female, an American sweetheart, neither needed such arse to be either the father or the next-door neighbor business owner. file a complaint to the landlord and to the city for noise control code. romance? not in a million years!

For a TV movie, this was an engaging movie, but the highlight for me was Bailee Madison. Before this movie, I was not familiar with this very talented and versatile young actor, though now I realize that I have seen some of her other work. She was great! She convincingly rides the emotional gamut in a childlike manner that was refreshing. I found Teri Polo's acting a bit over the top with how uptight she was, but maybe there are actually people out there like that. She did refresh my "how to make a bechamel sauce" skills. Her assistant chef, Romy Rosemont, had perfect timing again and again, and was the one who consistently made me laugh.

It is a movie with no real surprises, but for me, it hit the sweet spot on love.

I don't know why it is, but I have a not-so-secret appetite for movies where romance is served along-side the roulade and love is layered into the lasagna.

"A Taste of Romance" is a pleasant little rom-com, somewhat pedestrian but served with heart and comfortingly familiar to the palate. The place-setting is overly formal, too clean (if such a thing is possible) and neat. The restaurants, the market, the apartments are all too obviously set-pieces. The required formulaic characters are all there, and you know exactly what's going to happen, but that is what comfort food is all about. Don't be mistaken; this movie is just that, comfort food, there are no exotic ingredients here, only familiar heart-warming fair served in the proper proportions,

The casting follows the same recipe, charming and familiar. Well prepared, but nothing outstanding. Except possibly Bailee Madison who plays the daughter. At eighteen-years-old (twelve at the time this movie was shot) she has, in the dozen years of her career, racked up an impressive 50 acting credits, ten nominations, and five awards.

Finally, a movie that is heart-warming without over-the-top melodrama that dominates romantic movies today or the unnecessary crutch of sex!

My husband and I watched it on "pixl" a movie channel (that I did not know about before) and we liked it so much that I actually watched it again with my 8 year old daughter because it dealt with aspects of love,and romance without the hysteria and showed how real- life situations can be full of emotional ups and downs.

Sara and Gill own restaurants next door to each other and start off the wrong foot with each other; however through a series of situations, manage to set things right and eventually fall in love with each other. The director has dealt with these situations not only with a pace that it engaging and humorous but also without resorting to sex which unfortunately so many movies these days cannot seem to do without.

What a breath of fresh air; Kudos to all the artists in the movie. A wonderful performance with excellent direction!